Coco Jones To Lift Her Voice And Sing ‘Black National Anthem’ At Superbowl LX
Jones, known for her role in Peacock series Bel-Air, will bring her talent to one of the most watched events in professional sports.
Grammy-winning singer Coco Jones secured a high-profile performance slot at the upcoming 2026 Super Bowl as the singer of the Black National Anthem, formally known as “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Jones will join a list of celebrated performers as she continues a new yet meaningful tradition established several years ago by the NFL. Jones, known for her role in Peacock’s series Bel-Air, will bring her talent to one of the most-watched events in professional sports.
In shared posts on Instagram, the NFL announced multiple pre-game performers, including, Charlie Puth, who will perform the National Anthem, and Brandi Carlisle, who will sing “America the Beautiful.”
The inclusion of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” became a fixture of the Super Bowl pre-game ceremonies in 2021, when Alicia Keys performed a pre-recorded version ahead of Super Bowl LV.
Jones’s selection confirms the continued commitment of the NFL and its partners to recognizing the cultural significance of the performance before the kickoff. Her appearance follows a strong year for the artist, which included a performance at the EBONY Power 100 Gala in 2024.
As an actress, Jones celebrates a bittersweet victory on the Hollywood front. The fourth and final season of Bel-Air was released on Peacock Nov. 24. The singer is saying goodbye to her portrayal of Hilary Banks, a character that ushered the child star into her adult career.
Jones’s performance will take place during the pre-game ceremonies for Super Bowl LX. The highly anticipated game, which also features Bad Bunny as the halftime performer, takes place on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clarita, California. Along with wonderful professional news, Jones is also celebrating her engagement to NBA player Donovan Mitchell.
The Miami Heat player is allegedly embroiled in an NBA gambling scandal
NBA player Terry Rozier, who is embroiled in the current alleged NBA gambling scandal, received a little good news when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released the $8.2 million tax lien that was filed against him.
According to ESPN, this took place less than a week after the Miami Heat player was arrested. Rozier was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
The tax lien against Rozier was issued in November 2023 in Broward County, where he had purchased property in June 2021. The lien, recorded with the Broward County Courthouse in Florida, listed an “unpaid balance of assessment” of $8,218,211.
“Once the accountant clarified the situation with the IRS, Terry was found to owe only $3,000 in unpaid taxes for 2021,” Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, told ESPN in October. “That amount has been taken care of, and we fully expect the defunct lien to be withdrawn in the near future.”
Rozier had been investigated and cleared by the NBA of gambling accusations earlier this year.
“In March 2023, the NBA was alerted to unusual betting activity related to Terry Rozier’s performance in a game between Charlotte and New Orleans,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said. “The league conducted an investigation and did not find a violation of NBA rules. We are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation.”
When Rozier was arrested in October, he was accused of sharing information about other NBA players with bettors before games were played.
According to CNN, investigators allege that between December 2022 and March 2024, Rozier tipped people about his availability for games. They cited seven specific games, including one against the New Orleans Pelicans, which sportsbooks had already flagged for irregular activity.
Rozier is scheduled to be back in federal court for arraignment on Dec. 8 in Brooklyn. He states that he is innocent of the charges against him.
Support Your Girlfriends Pow(H)er Experience And Awards Celebrates Community’s Trailblazers
The three-day series of programming and empowerment inspired hope and support for its diverse community.
Support Your Girlfriends has ended its seventh annual Pow(H)er Experience and Awards with a celebratory week to remember.
Powered by Tene Nicole Creative Agency, the week furthered Support Your Girlfriends and its mission to uplift and recognize diverse leaders across multiple industries. This year’s series brought together trailblazers, advocates, and innovators dedicated to equity and progress on a global scale.
The culture came out to reconnect at the Pow(H)er Experience and Awards ceremony, both taking place in New York City starting Nov. 19. The week began with a private event at Tiffany & Co., where special speakers led the intimate occasion ahead of the day’s inspiring programming.
The three-day event brought attendees from all fields to explore workshops and panels centered on entrepreneurship, wellness, and advocacy. Highlighted speakers from sectors such as media, business, and tech grounded the conversations, each offering insights into the Support Your Girlfriends community on thriving in an evolving workforce and society.
The experience capped off with the Pow(H)er Experience’s signature Awards event on Nov. 20. Spotlighting men and women figures who have used their platform to advance their respective industries, this year’s ceremony recognized actor Larenz Tate as the 2025 Pow(H)er Man Of The Year, previously covered on BLACK ENTERPRISE. Fellow nominees, such as human rights advocates Erica Ford and Angela Wright, included women who remained “unapologetically HER” in social justice, entrepreneurship, and community sectors.
This year’s Pow(H)er experience felt especially crucial, with Tene Nicole Founder and CEO Nikkia McClain noting the disproportionate layoffs of Black women across the job market. Understanding the importance of staying empowered and connected, this annual Pow(H)er Experience served as a reminder of the impact still felt by and from women of color.
“In light of the economic challenges facing women, since January of this year, over half a million women have lost their jobs,” shared McClain in a press release shared with BE. “Despite these difficulties, Pow(H)er Experience and Awards is our commitment to women, especially women of color, remains absolute. We are continuing to move forward by providing free access to essential tools, resources, and health services, including screenings and testing. We remain dedicated to serving our community with these free resources to ensure they have the support needed not only to survive but to thrive.”
As Support Your Girlfriends continues to elevate its programming to serve its growing community of dynamic professional men and women, its annual experience encourages new leaders to thrive no matter the challenges. Support Your Girlfriends will close out its year of community-focused programming with a Holiday Soiree to help all this season.
Shonda Rhimes $1.5M Donation To Emmett Till Memorial Aims To Preserve Black History, Honor Racial Justice Efforts
Shonda Rhimes’ $1.5M donation to buy the barn where Emmett Till was lynched highlights her commitment to preserving Black history.
Shonda Rhimes continues her dedication to preserving Emmett Till’s legacy, recently donating $1.5 million to acquire the barn where Till was lynched in 1955. This purchase underscores her larger effort to honor his memory and advance racial justice.
“Through the generosity of writer and producer Shonda Rhimes and the resolve of local residents, the Emmett Till Interpretive Center has purchased and protected the barn near Drew, MS, where Emmett Till was brutally beaten and murdered,” the Emmett Till Interpretive Center announced on Nov. 24. “It will be preserved not merely as a structure, but as sacred ground — a place where truth can live without fear of being forgotten.”
The Center announced the purchase two years after Rhimes partnered with them to preserve sites tied to Till’s murder, including the barn where he was killed. For Rhimes, Till’s death isn’t just a historical injustice—it reflects ongoing racial inequities still felt today.
“It’s not over,” she said in 2023, citing the ongoing racial hatred and violence against the Black community. “Young Black men are still being killed for being young Black men.”
Rhimes was inspired to join the Center’s memorialization project after reading Wright Thompson’s 2021 Atlantic article, “The Barn.” Located deep in the Mississippi Delta, the barn sits just off a rural gravel road. Thompson, a Mississippi native devoted to uncovering his hometown’s hidden history, visited the site numerous times.
“I don’t think I had ever known where it happened, where a child had been tortured and killed,” Rhimes told Good Morning America in 2023. “I couldn’t let it go. I kept thinking about it for weeks afterwards.”
Nearly 70 years after Till’s murder, his death remains a symbol of racial violence in the U.S. Visiting Mississippi from Chicago, 14-year-old Till was accused of whistling at Carolyn Bryant Donham. Her husband, Roy Bryant, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, brutally beat and shot Till in a barn, later confessing in a magazine interview after being acquitted by an all-white jury.
Donham, who died in 2023, was never arrested. Photographs of Till’s mother mourning over his open casket helped spark the Civil Rights Movement. Rhimes’ purchase of the barn preserves this history at a time when Black history faces censorship, ensuring the story — and its connection to today’s struggles for racial justice — is not forgotten.
“Racism still exists,” she said. “I think it’s important to understand a history like this so that people can make sure that it never happens again.”
The Center announced the barn’s purchase on Nov. 24, which would have been Mamie Till-Mobley’s 104th birthday. The memorial is planned for completion by 2030, marking the 75th anniversary of Till’s murder.
Gas Prices Reach Lowest Average Of Under $3 A Gallon Since Pandemic Era
Gas prices are even cheaper at around $2.75 a gallon in some states.
Despite inflation, layoffs, and other economic woes, Americans can rejoice about one silver lining amid the lulls.
Gasoline prices have reached their lowest average peak of under $3 a gallon since the pandemic year of 2021. The news comes as Americans continue to grapple with a rising cost of living.
The price reached this new low on Dec. 2, hitting an average of $2.998 across the United States. Gas prices have not seen a low like this since May 2021, when the pandemic was still in full swing.
CNN also reported that the year-over-year comparison showed gas at a slightly lower price rate than in 2024. Albeit by only a few cents, last year’s December average held at $3.05 a gallon.
However, gas averages sit even lower in some states across multiple regions. States varying from New Mexico to South Carolina and Colorado are enjoying an average of $2.75 for one gallon.
The low prices may stem from Donald Trump’s policy of deregulating fossil fuel extraction and non-renewable energy production. In his second term, he promised to keep gasoline prices low through these deregulation efforts.
Despite the lower cost at the gas pumps, Americans are still dealing with inflated prices for groceries and other living costs, marking a new affordability crisis in the nation. Inflation remains steady but still relatively high at around 3% as well, according to Nerdwallet.
Another contributing factor to the low cost lies outside of Trump’s own doing, as the rate for barrels of crude oil is significantly lesser than previous years. While barrel costs skyrocketed over Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, they have decreased from $81 to a current rate of $59.
Furthermore, OPEC and the U.S. have both ramped up oil production, making supply outpace demand. If this trend continues, crude oil barrel prices could go even lower, making one’s next trip to the gas station even cheaper.
Diddy Won’t Stop Criticizing The 50 Cent Docuseries ‘Sean Combs, The Reckoning’
Combs’ legal team argues that the documentary relies heavily on “private recordings and personal content that were never cleared for public release.”
Representatives for Sean “Diddy” Combs have denounced the new four-part Netflix documentary, Sean Combs: The Reckoning.
In a statement, lawyers for the Combs have called the project “illegal,” “misleading,” and “a shameful hit piece.” The docuseries, executive-produced by rapper Curtis “50 Cent “Jackson, is scheduled to debut on Dec. 2. According to reports, the docuseries promises an inside look at decades of allegations against Combs for sexual misconduct, abuse, and other criminal activity.
Sean Combs’ legal team argues that the documentary relies heavily on “private recordings and personal content that were never cleared for public release.” Those recordings reportedly include hotel-room video, internal legal discussions, and other long-archived footage originally meant for a personal, self-authorized project, the Guardian reported.
The statement alleges that Netflix intentionally disregarded consent and context. Furthermore, the complaint states that Jackson’s involvement only perpetuates a personal vendetta.
“It is equally staggering that Netflix handed creative control to Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson, a longtime adversary with a personal vendetta,” the statement read. They further alleged that editing choices were designed to present Combs “in the most damaging and dishonest light possible.”
The trailer dropped recently and features interviews with accusers and footage from Combs’ past — including what is described as a tense call to his lawyers just days before his 2024 arrest.Sources close to the mogul assert that some footage was recorded with the understanding it would remain private or be used for a different purpose.
Despite the backlash, 50 Cent and the production team say the project was legally cleared and aims to let “a broader narrative” emerge. A narrative that includes the stories of alleged victims and gives viewers a fuller account of systemic issues within the music industry. The Get Rich Or Die Trying rapper says he has a duty to speak out against Combs’s actions. In an interview with Good Morning America, Jackson said someone in the hip-hop community should speak out against Diddy’s actions. If not, silence can be interpreted as complicity.
“If I didn’t say anything, you would have interpreted it as hip-hop is fine with his behaviors. There’s no one else being vocal. . . It would allow the entire culture to register as if they’re for that behavior.”
For those interested in the stories told by victims and bystanders alike, Sean Combs: The Reckoning is now streaming on Netflix.
The Social Security Retirement Age Rises Close To Average Life Expectancy
Increases to the full retirement age will continue eventually reaching the age of 70.
Starting in 2026, the normal retirement age for Social Security benefits will increase to 67 for Americans born in 1960 or later.
The full retirement age increase ends a long-running phase-in that has gradually raised the threshold since the 1980s. Because of the change, many workers nearing retirement should carefully review timing if they plan to claim benefits. For those born in 1959, 2025 is the last year their full retirement age will be 66. Increases will continue until the age of 70. Claiming benefits too early will permanently reduce monthly income. According to official guidelines from the Social Security Administration (SSA), beneficiaries can start collecting as early as age 62, but the monthly benefits are reduced for each month before the federal retirement age.
Among the changes announced in 2026:
Individuals born in 1960 or later will only be eligible for full benefits at 67. The phase-in that began in 1983, slowly raising the FRA from 65, will end.
Those who opt for early retirement face deep reductions over the lifetime of their benefits. For decades, a gradually increasing full retirement age has reflected longer life expectancy and rising financial pressure on the Social Security trust fund. Still, the change could complicate retirement planning for many Americans. With full benefits delayed, people may need to budget meticulously, rely longer on savings, or work for longer than previously expected.
Delaying claiming benefits beyond full retirement age continues to guarantee higher monthly payments. Waiting beyond 67 up to age 70 can increase monthly benefits substantially. Unfortunately, many Americans cannot afford to take the financial blow associated with receiving early benefits.
Though the age of life expectancy has risen, the Center for Disease ControlAnd Prevention calculates that the average life expectancy is 78 years old. Waiting to receive full retirement benefits puts the average retiree at an extreme disadvantage, leaving less than a decade of rest.
The billionaire pop star took to Instagram on Nov. 30, sharing intimate moments from Barbados in commemoration of the island’s 59th Independence Day and fourth anniversary as a Republic. The photo slideshow highlighted some of her cherished moments on the island, featuring personal snapshots with her sons, Rza, 3, and Riot, 2.
“Congratulations to Barbados, MY HOME, on our 59th year of Independence and our 4th year as a Republic!” Rihanna wrote in the caption, while giving honorable mentions to Barbados’ President, Jeffrey Bostic, and Prime Minister Mia Mottley. “Barbados, I L🇧🇧VE YOU!!!!” she added.
The intimate snapshots captured mouthwatering meals and mangos Rihanna has enjoyed in Barbados, her striking Kadooment costumes, and cherished moments with her sons and partner A$AP Rocky, including memories from her pregnancy with daughter Rocki, born in September.
The photos showed RZA on her lap inspecting a piece of sugar cane, paired with a throwback of Rihanna on a lawn with A$AP Rocky and RZA while pregnant. The Grammy-winning singer’s heartfelt post celebrated her family and her beloved home country.
Since welcoming daughter Rocki, Rihanna has returned to the public eye, making her first postpartum red carpet appearance at the 2025 CFDA Awards in New York City on Nov. 3. She attended in support of A$AP Rocky, who was honored at the event, wearing a floor-length black Alaïa trench coat over white draped pants, paired with a black turtleneck and heels, calling it a “postpartum-forward look.”
African Nations Push For Reparations For Victims Of Colonialism
African nations are intensifying efforts to secure reparations for the colonial-era crimes that caused widespread devastation across the continent and beyond.
On Nov. 30, African diplomats and leaders met to advance an African Union resolution introduced earlier this year that calls for justice and reparations for the harms of colonialism, the Associated Press reports.
Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf cited his country’s experience under French rule, emphasizing that true accountability requires compensation and the return of stolen property. Such restitution, he said, is “neither a gift nor a favor.”
“Africa is entitled to demand the official and explicit recognition of the crimes committed against its peoples during the colonial period, an indispensable first step toward addressing the consequences of that era, for which African countries and peoples continue to pay a heavy price in terms of exclusion, marginalization, and backwardness,” Attaf said.
The renewed push for reparations builds on discussions from the African Union’s February summit, where leaders backed a proposal to establish a unified stance on reparations and to officially classify colonization as a crime against humanity.
The effort reflects international norms that ban slavery, torture, and apartheid, and prohibit the seizure of territory by force under the UN Charter. However, the Charter does not explicitly address colonialism.
At the February summit, leaders explored a plan to establish a unified stance on reparations and formally classify colonization as a crime against humanity. They emphasized the enormous economic toll of colonial rule, estimated in the trillions, as European powers extracted vast wealth from Africa’s natural resources through violent exploitation, leaving communities impoverished.
Attaf emphasized that hosting the conference in Algeria was intentional, given the country’s history of brutal French colonial rule and its bloody struggle for independence. He noted that Algeria has long advocated for addressing colonialism under international law, while carefully navigating tensions with France, where the war’s legacy remains politically sensitive.
“Our continent retains the example of Algeria’s bitter ordeal as a rare model, almost without equivalent in history, in its nature, its logic and its practices,” Attaf said.
GivingTuesday: 4 Causes Worth Supporting These Black Nonprofits
Food, Shelter, Clothing and Education
GivingTuesday serves as an annual reminder that community is one of our most valuable assets. GivingTuesday serves organizations that support a range of causes and communities. It’s an opportunity to fill the gaps experienced by those who are marginalized and less fortunate. Black-led nonprofits continue their essential work to provide food and housing security, clothing, and educational opportunities. Here are four important causes and eight organizations that create substantial change in communities and have a human impact that extends beyond one day of giving.
Food
Umi Feeds
The nonprofit organization Umi Feeds, founded by Erica “Umi” Clahar, began in 2015 to rescue food and distribute meals to hungry and homeless people using surplus food to prepare healthy home-cooked meals. Umi Feeds provides hot meals, hygiene products, and clothing, and occasionally offers barber services and yoga sessions to hundreds of people primarily in Atlanta, as well as New York, Miami, and other locations across the country. The organization distributes free meals during regular mobile-market events and through outreach efforts to neighborhoods that lack sufficient food resources. People can support the organization through donations, volunteering, and financial support for their capacity expansion projects.
The National Black Food & Justice Alliance (NBFJA) comprises Black-led organizations, including Black farmers, land stewards, and food-justice activists. The organization works to achieve Black food sovereignty and land justice through its coordination of policy advocacy, resource-sharing, and institution-building efforts, which enable Black communities to control food systems. The NBFJA was founded in 2014 and operates across the United States by working with Black farmers and food justice organizations serving urban and rural areas. Their goal focuses on healing the racial oppression that Black communities faced in U.S. food and land systems by advancing self-determination for Black communities.
The nonprofit organization Black Veterans for Social Justice (BVSJ) was established in 1978 to assist Black veterans who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. The organization exists to deliver vital emergency housing, transitional housing, job support, and counseling services to Black veterans who lack adequate support. BVSJ operates from Brooklyn, providing services throughout the New York City region.
Well Cloth’d, Inc., founded by Leetah McGee and Jenne Richardson, is an organization based in Brooklyn, New York, that creates and delivers clothing and toiletry care packages while operating pop-up shops and personalized care drives to address actual needs. Well Cloth’d, Inc. started in 2017 and developed into a registered nonprofit through its ongoing donation programs and events. Its goal is to transform donating from random drop-offs into a dignity-centered, tailored distribution that helps recipients.
The 100 Black Men of America organization runs Tommy’s Closet to gather and distribute professional and business clothing, along with toiletries and other essentials, to HBCU and other Black students in need. The program operates across the country through its local chapters and HBCU partnerships while conducting campus drives and seasonal campaigns. The program’s mission is to eliminate barriers to student success by providing professional attire for interviews, internships, and campus opportunities to help Black students prepare professionally.
EDUCATION & OPPORTUNITY
United Negro College Fund
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) stands as the largest private organization that awards scholarships to Black students. Since 1944, UNCF has supported HBCUs through funding, scholarships, mentorship programs, and college readiness initiatives. UNCF functions from its Washington, D.C., headquarters to eliminate financial obstacles that prevent Black students from accessing educational degrees and career opportunities.
The Black-founded nonprofit Linden AI Institute leads initiatives for AI literacy and equal access to technology education. The organization delivers workshops, youth programs, teacher training, and community education around AI. The institute started operations in 2025 and delivers programs through remote access. Its mission focuses on keeping Black and marginalized communities from falling behind in the expanding AI economic sector. To donate for Giving Tuesday, follow this link.
